Shirley Bassey

The Royal Albert Hall at 150: 'It's the Holy Grail for musicians'

It’s hosted opera greats, suffragette rallies, Hitchcock films, sports events, sci-fi conventions – and, of course, the Proms and countless rock gigs. Artists from Led Zeppelin to Abba recall their moments on the hallowed stage

Interviews by Michael Segalov

29, Mar, 2021 @5:00 AM

Kylie Minogue becomes first woman to top album chart across five decades

No 1 for 15th album Disco continues a run started in 1988, while Shirley Bassey returns to the Top 5, becoming the first woman with Top 40 albums across seven consecutive decades

Ben Beaumont-Thomas

13, Nov, 2020 @6:00 PM

Don Black: 'the Pele of lyricists' on Bond themes, Broadway and Born Free

He’s written songs with everyone from Quincy Jones to John Barry – though his musical about premature ejaculation was a flop. ‘Everyone’s the same when they sit at the piano,’ he reveals

Alexis Petridis

29, Jul, 2020 @3:06 PM

Gold singer: Billie Eilish v Shirley Bassey – who is more Bond?

From tone to style, the two women could not be more different. Can the 18-year-old outdo her predecessor when she sings the theme tune to the new James Bond film?

Aimee Cliff

15, Jan, 2020 @6:05 PM

Observer picture archive: Shirley Bassey, 16 April 1970

David Newell-Smith photographed the singer in concert in London, and music critic Tony Palmer reviewed her performance

selected by Greg Whitmore, Observer picture editor

13, Apr, 2019 @4:30 PM

In Lipstick review – glittery comedy with shades of darkness

Two women blot out life’s blemishes with feather boas and Shirley Bassey songs until their friendship begins to sour

Kate Wyver

14, Jan, 2019 @12:10 AM

The town that pioneered multiculturalism | Nadifa Mohamed

Long before the term for ethnic diversity had even been coined, Butetown in Cardiff was home to communities from all corners of the globe

Nadifa Mohamed

07, Mar, 2017 @4:46 PM

Queen's 90th birthday celebrations mark her love of horses

TV and pop royalty meet the real thing as no fewer than 900 horses join the birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle

Caroline Davies

15, May, 2016 @11:25 PM

Readers recommend: share your songs about spying

Think about the song titles or lyrics and nominate your songs on the theme – our reader will pick the best for a playlist next week

Guardian readers

28, Apr, 2016 @7:00 PM

Snow, panto and rattlesnakes: review of Christmas Day TV highlights

Peter Capaldi and Alex Kingston had chemistry, Chris Packham was enthusiastic to a fault, while there were friends aplenty for Cilla’s retrospective

Richard Vine

26, Dec, 2015 @12:01 AM

Blub classics: the songs musicians play to get them through a broken heart

Which songs do musicians play to ease the pain of heartbreak? Mark Ronson, Shamir, East India Youth, Tinashé and a host of others on how they navigated the post-breakup blues

Paul Lester

30, Apr, 2015 @5:34 PM

The elder statesmen and stateswomen of music – who are your favourites?

Open thread: As Dolly Parton releases a brand new album and embarks on a world tour, we take a look at the best artists still rocking in their sixth decade and beyond

Hannah Jane Parkinson

06, Jun, 2014 @9:37 AM